A Photo
by iluvmylowandbaseball
Summary: Rory is finally brought back to reality about the way she is acting by the one guy she'll never forget...Jess. The way that I wanted episode 6.08 to go. R&R. Finally UPDATED!
1. Chapter 1

(A/N) Hey my homies! I loved episode 6.08 of Gilmore Girls! I am so glad she finished with her grandmother. Did you catch that when Emily said the thing about her father when she meant her grandfather? I so can't wait for next week's episode! I am so happy that Rory and Lorelai finally made up and that finally Luke and Lorelai will set the date. I know that most of you that go to already know what the secret of Luke's past is and I so can't believe it's true. It's going to ruin everything! Anyway, I am writing this story because this is the way that I wanted the dinner with Jess to go. I hope you guys like it. It will take me a while to update because of my other stories taking up all my free time, but I will try my hardest to update frequently. This is a plot less fic so things will just happen. I will only put songs in the chapters that I find it absolutely necessary. This chapter will have a song because it is the title of the story. Anyways, on with the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone that has to do with Gilmore Girls and am in no way associated with AS-P. I don't own the lyrics to the song at the end. I don't own most of the dialogue in this chapter.

Spoilers: Yes! The whole rest of season six. It starts out with Let Me Hear Your Balalaikas Ringing Out.

Title: A Photo

Chapter One

_Why does he always have to get drunk?_ _Why can't he just stay sober for one night?_ Rory thought to herself as she drove to the Gilmore home from dropping Finn, Colin, and Logan off at their dorm.

She slammed the brakes at a red light and watched her purse fall to the floor, littering it with its contents. Rory bent down and picked up her wallet and some other things that fell to the floor. She hadn't emptied her wallet in years and was curious what she would find. She found an expired box of Altoids, and her old Chilton ID. She had dropped her purse so many times but she still never bothered to empty it. She thought it was good to have old memory joggers.

Then she saw it. Probably one of the reasons she never emptied her purse. Him. A picture of him. And her. A picture of him and her together. Probably one of the few candid pictures she had ever taken with him.

It was a photo of her and Jess. They had been walking through the snow kissing. She was grateful for having her mother and her mother's Polaroid, even though they weren't on good terms.

_Why did he have to leave? Why did he have to tell me he loved me? Why did he ask me to go away with him? Why did I say no?_ Tears threatened her eyes and a series of repetitive honks brought her out of her thoughts. She looked up at the stoplight and pressed her foot on the gas.

Oh God, how I miss him. I will always love him, won't I? I'll never get over him. I'll never forget him. Why didn't I go with him when I had the chance? I might still be going to school, maybe not Yale, but some other school. I should have gone with him.

Before she knew it she was back at the Gilmore manor. Rory wiped the tears from her eyes, cut off the engine, and unbuckled her seatbelt before stepping out of the car. She was about to turn to the house, when something moving at the gate caught her eye. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him.

" Jess." He opened the gate and entered the driveway.

" Hey." He said nervously.

" Hey. I…. Sorry, that wasn't a sentence." She stuttered.

" I got the gist." He said walking up to her.

" What are you doing here?"

" I got a job—professional driveway stalker."

" Pays good?"

" Yeah, but the hours suck." She smiled at him.

" Jess…."

" I'm in town on a little business. All nice and aboveboard." _God, I love it when she smiles at me._

" How'd you know where to find me?"

" Luke. I shook it out of him. He wasn't sure if it was okay."

" It's okay. You look good. The years don't seem to have hardened you." She smiled and he smiled back._ You look really good. Hot even. No Gilmore! You have a boyfriend! Remember Logan? He's your boyfriend! Not Jess._

" Yeah, you look good too. I know this is kind of weird, but there's something I wanted to tell you—show you actually. I can come back another time."

" No, it's just, uh, we're kind of exposed here. My—her window's like right there." She pointed to a window on the second floor.

" Whose?"

" My grandma's. You want to come in?"

" You sure?"

" Yeah, just be careful. She's a very light sleeper." She led him up the stairs and into her room.

" So, here we are."

" Casa Rory." He chuckled softly. Rory walks over to her bed, grabs a pillow and places it on the floor in front of the door crack.

" So our voices don't carry." She explained.

" Very prudent." He says about the room.

" This is not my taste."

" Yeah, not unless you've aged about 90 years."

" I haven't."

" Is that for Halloween?" He pointed to a red orange dress hanging on the door.

" No, no. This is for a function I have to go to."

" Function?"

" This is a job—the D.A.R.—Daughters of the American Revolution. It's not a career or anything."

" I hope not."

" No. See, don't get the wrong idea. I'm here temporarily. My mom and I—"

" Luke alluded to something."

" It's a long story. I was crashing in the pool house, and that was just temporary, but the pool house became storage, so then I had to move into the main house. All temporary."

" Isn't school in session?" Jess asked changing the subject, curious and confused.

" Mm-hmm."

" Why aren't you living on campus?"

" Because I'm not going."

" You graduated already, Doogie?"

" No, I'm just taking a little time off."

" Time off." Jess said slowly, as if trying it on.

" So where are you living Jess?" She asked moving to sit on the bed and he sat across from her on a chair.

" I want to know about you—Mystery Man."

" I'm in Philly."

" Really?"

" Don't laugh."

" No, I'm not. Philadelphia's gotten cool."

" And New York's gotten expensive. Anyways, it's a pretty cool scene in Philly now—lots of young people there. Pretty big art scene."

" I know, I read that in the New York Times. They had a picture of a bunch of young people standing on a roof, kind of eclectic and all. It looked fun. I mean, it was clearly one of those pictures that weren't candid. It was looking a little stiff, but they looked happy."

" Are you nervous?"

" A little. It's been a long time."

" I'm a little nervous too."_ Wow, new open Jess. I like this Jess._

" Good. I'm not alone."

" So, I didn't just come here to chat. I wanted to show you something." He grabbed his bag off the floor and looked for something in it.

" Right, you said that."

" I didn't think you'd believe it if I didn't show it to you in person."

" Well, color me curious." He handed her a small book.

" A book. _The Subsect_….written by Jess Mariano." She looked up at him, happy and confused.

" It's no misprint."

" You wrote a book?" She asked still in shock.

" A short novel."

" You wrote a book!"

" Through a fluke. Got it to these guys that have a small press. They read it, I don't know if they were high or something, but they decided to publish it."

" You wrote a book."

" There's no money in it. They only published like 500 of them. Believe me, I'm not quitting my day job." She flipped through the book, smiled, and then stood up.

" But you wrote it. You wrote a book."

" Yeah, I know. It's hard to believe."

" You sat down and wrote a novel."

" Author-distributed too. That's what I'm doing here. I'm going around begging independent bookstores to put it in stock. Got it in a few."

" Cool, where?" Rory asked excitedly.

" Around."

" I want to see it in the store."

" I'll give you the addresses."

" You know what I'm going to do when I see it in the store?"

" What?"

" You know the section towards the front—the staff recommendations? I'm going to grab a copy of your book and put it in that section. And then I'm going to write my own little recommendation and attach it, so people will buy it."

" Read it first. That way you can discourage people from buying it."

" No way! I know it's good. Jess you've got such a great brain. I knew that if you would just sit down and stop shaking it around, you could do something like this. I knew it, I knew it." She sat down and looked at him sincerely.

" I know you did. I work in that press now. Five smelly guys in a cramped room on Locust Street putting out about three books a month—but it's fun."

" What about a sequel? Are you going to write a sequel?"

" You should read it before you get too jazzed about it."

" Shh!" Rory looks over to the door then sighs. " Sorry. I thought I heard footsteps. I think we're okay."

" It's kind of late. I should go."

" It is kind of late." They both got up and stared at each other. _I wish I could just kiss him…NO! You have a damn boyfriend! Stop thinking about kissing Jess! _

" So, I just basically wanted to show you that. Tell you—tell you that I couldn't have done it without you." Rory's heart skipped a beat and she smiled at him.

" Thanks." She said quietly.

" I'm going to be around for a couple of days. Can we talk again? Preferably above a whisper." She smiled again.

" Yeah. How about tomorrow night?"

" 8:00 okay?"

" Yep."

" I'll sneak out on my own."

" Cool." He walked over to the door picked up the pillow and handed it to Rory, who hugged it.

" Oh hey—the book."

" Oh, that's yours." He whispered, then shut the door behind him. Rory smiled and went to lie down on the bed and started to read. _Wow! He wrote a book! My Jess wrote a book! I wonder if he still loves me. Whoa! Where did that come from? Oh well, I still hope he does._

A photo can say a thousand things 

_But it can't say the million things I want to say_

_A photo can capture the way we were_

_But it can't capture the way we are_

_Cause you're far away_

_What it's like to know you_

_What it's like to touch you_

_When you told me that you loved me _

_were those just words_

_You can't tell me that you need me and I know that hurts_

_Cause I'm looking at your picture_

_Cause it's all I've got_

_Maybe one day you and me will have one more shot_

_Timing lost minutes and moments_

_And I might be lonely girl_

_But I'm not afraid_

_In a second_

_It all comes right back to me_

_Nothing's forgotten now_

_Yeah everything's saved_

_What it's like to touch you_

_What it's like to know you_

_When you told me that you loved me _

_were those just words_

_You can't tell me that you need me and I know that hurts_

_Cause I'm looking at your picture_

_Cause it's all I've got_

_Maybe one day you and me will have one more shot_

_You were my life_

_You were my faith_

_You gave me hope everyday_

_When you told me that you loved me _

_were those just words_

_You can't tell me that you need me and I know that hurts_

_Cause I'm looking at your picture_

_Cause it's all I've got_

_Maybe one day you and me will have one more shot_

'A Photo' by Ryan Cabrera

(A/N) I know that a lot of people have already written how they would have liked this episode to go but I haven't so I decided to do it. I hope you liked it. Please, please, please review. If you do, I'll write a new chapter and post it. Reviewslove+more chapters.


	2. Chapter 2

(A/N) Hey, and I am back! I hoped you all liked the last chapter. I am going to continue this story you just have to be patient with me. I'll get back to the story now.

Chapter Two

The next night, Jess got to the Gilmore house and wasn't sure what to do from there. Finally, he grabbed a couple of pebbles from the fountain and threw them at her window. He saw the front door open and almost ran away, but saw Rory.

" What're you doing?" Rory asked, chuckling.

" I didn't know if it was okay to ring or not." He whispered.

" She's not here."

" She's not?" Jess asked in his normal voice. Rory walked over to her.

" She's playing Bridge tonight."

" Oh good." Jess says, throwing the remaining pebbles back in the fountain.

" I parked on the street so she wouldn't see."

" You're very good at covert ops."

" Years of practice. So, where do you want to go?"

" I don't know. I don't know the area that well."

" You _live_ here."

" I know, but Hartford's still a mystery. Even when I went to Chilton I got on the bus and headed home. So I don't even have any old high school hangouts to revisit. And these days I've just been eating here."

" Well, I just prefer not going someplace that doesn't have food in the title."

" Meaning…"

" Olive, chili, soup. No gardens. No plantations."

" Got it. Something funkier."

" Steer me to the college district. I'll find us something funky."

" Sounds good." At that moment a silver Porsche pulls into the driveway. _Great. A blonde-headed monkey. Don't tell me this is her boyfriend._

Logan? Why is he here? What about Omaha? He just ruined my night with Jess. Completely.

" Logan." Rory said cheerfully.

" Am I interrupting something?" Logan asked, getting out of the car and walking towards Rory.

" No. Hey, when did you get back?"

" A couple of hours ago."

" Oh. I—I thought you were getting back tomorrow."

" Thought that I'd surprise you Ace."_ Ace? What kind of a name is Ace?_

" Well, I'm glad you did 'cause you get to meet me my old friend Jess. Jess this is Logan, my boyfriend." _I knew it! I should get a cookie. Not that anyone knows what I'm thinking. Unless they're mind readers. Mental note: Got to be more careful about what I think. Damn! I'm being paranoid!_

" Logan, this is Jess, he's in from out of town." Logan and Jess stare at each other, each having bad vibes about the other.

" Wow. That sounded so grown up. We're at the age now where you say like, 'In from out of town' and 'old friend.' 'Cause when you're young all your friends are new and you have to get old to have old friends." Jess smiled at her rambling._ God, how I missed that. That rambling I mean._

Logan extends his hand shakes Jess's.

" How you doing?"

" Okay." Jess half-smiles out of politeness of course. He would never even consider smiling wholeheartedly at someone like that Logan guy.

" We were just going to go grab a bite to eat." Rory says, hoping Logan would leave.

" Great, well how about we all go together? Is that okay?"

" Okay by me." Jess answers quickly. Rory frowns a little, but tries to wipe it off her face before either of them noticed.

" Alright. Good. We were actually at a loss for where to got, so you actually saved us."

" Call me Superman. Why do you follow us?" Logan said to Jess as he wrapped an arm around Rory's shoulders and heads towards the car.

" Sure." _Not like I have a choice._

" Great. Come on." Jess watched Logan open Rory's door, then get in himself.

Logan backed out of the driveway and saw Jess's beat up brown car parked on the other side of the street.

" Is that his car?" Logan asked once Jess started to follow them.

" Yes." Rory said stiffly.

" Nice sense of style." Rory rolled her eyes and tried not to turn into the defensive mode, but Logan was making it pretty hard.

" Why'd you come back early?"

" I already told. Wanted to surprise you. Why? You wanted to be alone with John?"

" It's Jess. And yeah, I did."

" What were you going to do?"

" We were going to talk, have dinner, catch up."

" Oh yeah?" Logan asks, unbelieving.

" Yeah."

" Really?"

" Yes."

" You weren't going to go off and have sex with him?"

" What!" Rory asks, appalled.

" You weren't going to go off and have sex with him?" Logan repeats. Rory started to breathe heavily and tears stung her eyes.

" How could you even think that?" She asked quietly.

" I don't know! You seemed pretty capable of cheating on me, seeing that at the end of your first year at Yale you slept with a married guy!"

" I can't believe this." Rory wiped the tears away from her face. They drove the rest of the way in silence, Rory starring out the window, arms crossed over her chest.

" I'm sorry." Logan said once they reached the pub.

" No, you're not." Rory whispered, wiping the fallen tears away.

" Don't you tell me that I'm not sorry Rory, 'cause I am!"

" No you're not."

" Shut up!" He slapped her across the face and she immediately touched a hand to her face. She turned to the door and threw it open. Rory leaned against the car, staring out at the street. Jess got out of his car and walked up to Rory when he saw her.

" What's wrong?"

" Nothing." Rory said, after seeing who was next to her.

" Nothing seems like a whole lot of something." She rolled her eyes at him and Jess looked at her face. There was a bright pink mark across it.

" What happened to your face?" Jess asked, rather calmly coming from him.

" I fell asleep. Against the seat belt. Long drive."

" Oh." Logan got out of the car and slammed the door.

" Let's go inside." Rory nodded and followed him inside, followed closely by Jess. _Something is definitely wrong here._

…………………….

" I live pretty close. I'd have had you over to check it out but it's a bit of a mess." Rory sat with her arms crossed over her chest. Logan had already had three drinks and Jess had hardly touched his beer.

" And you don't have serve any food, so we would've been starving at your place." Rory added.

" I have appetizers—half full bags of chips. Just check the expiration date before you dive in."

" I'm good with this place." Jess said, taking a sip from his beer. He was beginning to get restless. He had planned to spend the night with Rory. Not with Rory and her boyfriend.

" Little pointer—don't come here on folk night."

" Yeah, I'm not a big fan of folk music.'

" Something we have in common."

" Great." Rory looked at Jess and smiled. She had missed him so much, he had been a big influence on her life. Her mother had always told her not to dwell on the past, but she sometimes finds herself doing exactly that. She always tried to forget about him, but couldn't.

" Where's a waiter? Yo, yo, right here. Another McKellen's Neat, and Jess, another Brew?" Logan asked.

" I'm still working on this one." Jess held out his beer and showed him.

" Another one—just in case."

" We should probably order. It's a big menu so if you need guidance…." Rory said.

" I'm not hungry."

" You're not hungry?"

" Nope."

" I thought the whole point was that you two were going to get something to eat?"

" And talk." Rory added.

" Well yes, it's a given that you're gonna talk while you eat. You know, the chef de cuisine will gladly make anything you want if nothing appeals."

" The burgers are good here." Rory told Jess.

" Maybe a burger." He said, looking at her and smiling with his eyes.

" Get one of those fancy ones too. It's on me so don't let the price stop you."

" I'll pay for my own." Jess picked up the menu and looked over it slowly.

" Good man. So, how long have you guys known each other?" Jess closed his menu and looked away from Logan.

" A while."

" You date?"

" Yes." Rory answered quickly, awkwardly.

" Ah. No hemming, no hawing. Good course of action. Were you two high school sweethearts, rock around the clock, two straws in the milkshake?"

" Logan." Rory warned.

" Did we cheers I don't think we cheered. That's bad luck. Let's cheers."

" I think we did already. Twice."

" Well, let's do it again. Cheers." Logan and Jess raise their glasses while Rory raised a plastic cup and clinked.

" So what do you do Jess?" Logan said after they all took a sip of their drinks.

" Oh, this and that."

" Describe the 'this', describe the 'that'."

" He writes." Rory said, annoyed.

" You write? Impressive. What do you write?"

" Nothing important." Jess said, irritated.

" He wrote a book." Rory said.

" Oh, you penned the Great American novel Jess?"

" Wasn't quite that ambitious."

" So what're we talking here? Short novel? Kafcla length or longer? Dos Pasos, Tolstoy? Or longer—Robert Mussil? Proust? I'm not throwing you with these names am I?"

" You seem very obsessed with length." Jess said, now even more annoyed with the blonde-headed monkey sitting across from him.

" I'm just trying to get a picture in my head, that's all."

" It's a short novel." Rory finally said.

" Any good?"

" I haven't read it yet."

" Yet? At least you're gonna have one reader. That's something."

" Yeah." Jess raised his glass up to his lips and wished he could throw it at Logan.

" You know, I should just write down all my random thoughts and stuff that happens to me and conversations I have and just add a bunch of 'he says, she says,' and get it published—you got a copy on you?"

" No."

" You should send me a copy." That was the last straw. He took another sip of his drink and placed it on the table.

" Sure, where should I send—the blonde dick at Yale?"

" Jess." Rory called after he stood up.

" Whoa, whoa. I'm just trying to keep it friendly here buddy." Jess grabbed his jacket and walked around the now-standing Logan.

" Get out of my way." He said under his voice. Rory stood up and started to follow him.

" Forget him Rory."

" Don't follow me." Rory jogged after Jess and he slipped on his jacket.

" Jess, wait. Jess, I'm sorry." She caught up to him and he stopped, buttoning up his jacket.

" We shouldn't have done this."

" He's just in a bad way lately."

" He's a jerk."

" He was. In there—definitely. I'm so sorry."

" I read that guy the second I saw him. I should have begged off."

" Well, I didn't want you to."

" He better not come out here."

" Please Jess, he had a lot to drink. He's tired from traveling. This isn't him. I swear." Rory pleaded.

" What the hell is going on?"

" I told you. He's tired and his family's bugging him—"

" I mean with you?" He cut in.

" What do you mean?" Rory asked quietly.

" You _know_ what I mean. I know you better than anyone. This isn't you."

" I don't know."

" What are you doing? Staying at your grandparents' place, being in the DAR, no Yale—Why did you drop out of Yale!"

" It's complicated."

" It's not! It's not complicated!"

" You don't know."

" This isn't _you_. This—you going out with a jerk with a Porsche. We made fun of guys like this."

" You caught him on a bad night." Rory pleaded.

" This isn't about him. Okay, screw him. What's going on with you, Rory? This isn't you Rory." She stared past him into the pub. He was right. Everything he said was right.

" You know it isn't. What's going on?" Jess continued, then bobbed his head in front of hers, snapping her out of her thoughts.

" I don't know… I don't know." She crossed her arms and tears stung her eyes. Jess looked at her. This wasn't the Rory he knew, yet alone loved. The Rory he knew was always sure of herself. Not that he didn't love her, he just didn't like this Rory all that much. He missed the old Rory._ His _Rory. Not Logan's Rory, his.

" Hey, uh…May—may—maybe we'll catch up at a better time." He touched her elbow affectionately, and she immediately felt butterflies in her stomach. The butterflies she hadn't felt ever since he walked out of her life. He walked off slowly. He turned suddenly.

" Happy birthday, by the way. Wasn't that a couple of weeks ago, your birthday?" She nodded slightly and he smiled at her, then began to walk off again.

" Jess!" He turned to face her.

" Where can I find you?" He smiled at her.

" Your mom's Inn. Room 10."

" Good room." Rory said sadly.

" So I've heard… see you around. Hopefully, anyways."

" Yeah." He turned to go again but her voice stopped him.

" What was that?"

" I'm proud of you, really proud."

" Thanks…I wish I could say the same." There it was. The guilt trip. She was always the one he was proud of and now she was the one that was proud of him. There was nothing he could be proud of with her. She smiled then walked over to him. She enveloped him in her arms and kissed his cheek softly. He held her like that for a few minutes.

" Bye, Rory." She pulled away from him. Tears were streaming down her face and Jess used the back of his hand to wipe them away. He took her hand, squeezed it then walked off. She stared after him for a few seconds then turned to go inside, where she found Logan sitting and drinking.

" You're not going to believe this," he said once he saw her, " Over the music, over the crowd, I hear one girl's voice cutting through it all—the folk singer, she's in the corner with her boyfriend." Rory glares at him, fists clenched.

" I sent them over a round of drinks. What the hell?" He took a sip of his drink and looked up at her. " He gone?"

" Yes, he's gone." She says stiffly, then stands across from him, behind Jess's seat.

" Writers are so sensitive."

" You were a jerk, Logan." She says, shaking her head, as if she couldn't believe how he was acting.

" I was just challenging him, jeez. Hey, if Hemingway could take it, so can he. Hey, if he wanted to he could have taken a pop at me." He says raising a fist and punching his hand.

" Pugnacity—it's a vital component of literary life. Again, consult your Hemingway. Come on, do not let his guy get to you."

" _You're_ getting to me."

" Me?"

" Yes. You were an ass." She said flatly.

" Look, I'm sorry. I came back early. I really messed things up here." He said sarcastically.

" Jess wrote a book. He wrote a book and you mocked him."

" I didn't mock him."

" He's doing something."

" Fine. He's doing something. Everybody in the world is doing something. More power to him."

" I'm not. I mean, what am I doing? I'm living with my grandparents."

" That's temporary. Have a drink."

" Temporary can turn into forever."

" You are not living with your grandparents forever."

" I'm palling with my grandmother. I'm being waited on by a maid. I come home and my shoes are magically cleaned. My clothes are magically cleaned, ironed and laid out. My bed is magically turned down. I'm in the D.A.R.? I'm going to meetings, teas, and cocktail parties?" Rory asks, finally finding out that she wasn't the normal Rory.

" Again, temporary. Have a drink." He repeats.

" And wasting my partying and drinking, just hanging out, doing nothing." Logan stood up in front of her.

" Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't pull me into his."

" I didn't say anything about you."

" Yes, you did. Don't make me feel guilty for your partying and drinking. That's your choice. I'm not forcing you. When I ask you out, you can say no." He yelled.

" That's all we do."

" It's not all we do."

" It's all _you_ do."

" Well, that's my prerogative you know? You're damn straight. I'm gonna party while I have the chance, because come June my life is _over_."

" Oh yes, your horrible life, let's hear about it."

" Got a week?"

" You have every door open to you. You have opportunities that anyone would kill for, including me."

" No one's stopping you from making whatever you want happen. Go into journalism. Be a doctor. Be a clown. Do whatever you want."

" It's not as easy when it's not handed to you."

" Really? It's all so easy for me? I don't want that life! It's forced on me! You talk about all these doors being open? All I see is one door and I'm being forced through it! I have no choice! You try living without options!"

" How hard are you fighting it?"

" I didn't tell you to quit Yale. You did that. I gave you one month. You went beyond the month and it had nothing to do with me. It was all you! Now you want to change, change it.

But don't blame me, don't you dare blame me! You know what? Why don't you just go off with John—Jack—whatever his name is?"

" Oh, I'm not going off with Jess!"

" Fine. Come on."

" Where? Let's go. I want to go. I don't want to be here."

" I don't want to go anywhere with you!" Rory yelled.

" I drove you here and I want to go!"

" I don't want to go." Logan sighed and hastily pulled out some money from his suit's breast pocket and threw it on the table.

" I'll cover the bill, cab. Do whatever you want. It's your choice." He stormed out of the pub and Rory sighed._ Whatever I want? Fine. I will._ She pulled her cell phone out of her purse and dialed the operator.

" Hi, can I have a number for a cab company… A company, any company, you pick…Thanks." She dialed the number into the number pad as the operator recited it and saved it. " Uh-huh…Thanks."

TBC

AN: I don't own most of the dialogue, but getting into the next chapter I will. I didn't have time to spell check it, so please disregard the mistakes if any. Thanks for the reviews. REVIEW PLEASE.


	3. Chapter 3

(A/N)Sorry for the really long wait. I am truly sorry. I am also sorry for the people who think this story is moving along slow. Thanks for the reviews. I will try to make this chapter as long as the others but I don't promise anything. Characters may seem OOC. I own nothing.

Chapter Three

Rory got in the cab fifteen minutes later, telling the driver where to go. She sat silently, alone with her thoughts.

_Jess was right. He was absolutely positively right. Logan's an ass. Why am I with him anyways? All we do is party, drink and have sex. What is wrong with me? This really isn't me. I don't drink. I don't party the way I have been. I don't have sex with a guy, who can't tell me he loves me, every single damn night we're together. That's probably the only reason I'm with Logan. I am such a slut!_ Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks as she stared at the passing scenery. Rory raised a hand to her face and touched the cheek where Logan had hit her. He had hit her hard, for it still stung and she knew it was still bright pink.

Why did I let Logan slap me? Why didn't I do something, like slap him? I should've. But then what would've Jess thought? Logan had, after all, been driving and Jess wouldn't have believed that he fell asleep against the seat belt. Then I would've had to tell Jess that Logan slapped me. Damn the web I weave.

_I can't believe I even considered loving Logan. He's basically the reason I dropped out of Yale. If I hadn't ever dated him and gotten insulted by his mother at his house and gotten that internship at the Stamford Eagle Gazette I would still be at Yale, taking classes that I love, I wouldn't be living with my Bridge-playing grandmother, who has been on my case ever since she found out about me and Logan having sex!_

_Why didn't I go with Jess when I had the chance? Why didn't I tell him that I love him? I should've. Then, I would be with the guy I love for real. The guy I am in love with. I would be having sex with the guy I'm in love with. Maybe not sex, but making love. It may sound a little cheesy but Jess and I, we could never have meaningless sex. We would probably be sharing long, intimate, passionate nights that actually meant something to us. Damn! Here I am, dwelling in what could've been. I need to focus on what I'm going to do when I get there. Shit! I'm here! _Rory looked through the cab's tinted window at the beautiful Inn her mother owned.

Tears were still rolling down her cheeks but she had gotten used to them tonight. She rummaged in her purse for the money Logan had left on the table and finally produced them, then handed them to the cab driver. She didn't even know why she was using Logan's money._ Oh well, it saves me the money._

"Keep the change." She told the driver and smiled through her tears.

"Thank you. I hope it wasn't some boy you're crying about. Because if it is, the guy that made you cry doesn't deserve you." The cab driver told her sincerely.

"Thanks. And I know." With that she smiled and got out of the car. Once the cab drove out of sight, Rory looked up at the Dragonfly and a new a batch of tears streamed down her cheeks, joining the others in a battle. She sighed, walked up the steps and looked into the lobby, where she saw Michel snoozing at the desk. Quietly, she opened the door and stepped inside. Rory looked over at Michel, who hadn't stirred, and looked over at the sitting room, which was empty, before deciding that the coast was clear and she could continue. Quickly and discretely.

Rory made her way up the stairs and past a few rooms before getting to her destination. Room ten had been the room she had stayed in the night of the test run. Tears continued to fall, the why unknown to her now, and she let out a soft sob. Rory raised a trembling fist to the door and knocked lightly. After a grunt of "Coming," she some noises inside the room and she looked down at her feet as sobs shook her body, untamable. When she heard the creak of the door and a sharp intake of breath, Rory let out another nerve-wrecking sob and looked up at him.

"You were right. You were right." Jess's features softened and Rory swallowed past the knot in her throat. "You were right." She repeated quietly, still looking Jess in the eye. Jess raised a hand to her face and wiped a few tears away with the back of his hand. Rory, for probably the third time last night, felt butterflies in her stomach at his gentle touch. Throwing her arms around his neck, Jess reciprocated the movement and held her tight against him.

"Everything you said was true." She whispered into his neck tearfully.

"Come on. Let's go inside." They pulled away from each other and walked into the room, Jess shutting the door behind him.

"Everything you said about me not being me and not acting like I would was true. I'm not me. I'm not me at all." Rory was nervously wringing her hands and staring at the floor. Jess walked over to her and grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry? You don't have anything to be sorry for, Jess. I finally went through with that overdue introspection. All I've been doing is following what my grandmother says and what Logan does. I haven't done anything I, in retrospect, would've wanted to do. I never thought things through this whole time. I've been drinking, partying, and having sex with a guy who can't even tell me that he loves me. I can't do that anymore. I need to do something about the way I'm handling things. I need to go back to Yale. I need to redo everything that happened since the test run of the Inn to get everything in my life back on track. I—I—I—" now she stammered nervously. Rory averted the gaze from his eyes to the floor and back to his eyes before continuing slowly and quietly.

"I need to be with someone who's in love with me and who I'm in love with." The tears had long-since stopped and her face was tear-stained and her cheek still stung. Jess stood amazed by her speech, but mostly he was marveling at the last statement. He didn't know what to do next. Jess took her face in his hands and softly stroked her cheek, which was now turning to a fading pink. He hadn't helped but noticed the slowly fading red mark at the pub, noting that it couldn't have been a seat belt mark.

"What really happened your face?" He whispered and Rory's lip twitched slightly.

"I told you. I fell asleep against the seat belt." Rory lied.

"A seat belt mark fades quick. I should know." Rory swallowed and shut her eyes tight for a few seconds, then opened them.

"He slapped me." She whispered.

"He what?" Jess said, taking his hands away from her face.

"He slapped me."

"No. He didn't. 'Cause he should know that if he did, I'd be after like a dog on a flea."

"Jess, it's not a big deal. He didn't punch me." Rory tried to calm him down, but to no avail.

"No, but he slapped you!"

"You don't even know what happened. Not that I deserved it. If anyone did, it was him."

"You'll have to tell me what he said eventually." Jess said, his anger slowly fading.

"I will. Just not now."

"Fine." Jess grabbed her face and kissed her deeply and slowly. At least ten minutes later, Rory and Jess pulled apart and leaned their foreheads against each other's.

"What was that?" Rory asked breathlessly.

"This." Jess took her face in his hands again and kissed her, this time more deeply and way more slowly.

"I need you." Rory whispered, putting emphasis on 'you'.

"I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." A beat.

"I love you." Rory confessed, looking straight at him.

"I love you too."

"How could you still love me after I treated you the way I did?"

"You're not that easy to get over, Rory." Rory stepped slowly away from him before starting her rant.

"I'm not? Because I always thought I was. But that's beside the point. When I dated Dean for the first time, I never even remotely considered sleeping with Dean. I was just 16, but I never thought about it. But, I did when I was with you. I even told my mom that we might have. But we never did. And I ended up sleeping with my married ex-boyfriend on the night of the test run, getting into a horrible fight with my mom, and flying across the ocean to Europe to spend the summer with my grandmother. Then I dated Dean for a few months and he broke up with me, and I suddenly wanted Logan. And I got him; I even almost had sex with him at my grandmother and grandfather's vow renewal. I said I didn't want to be in a relationship, just no strings attached. And I hated it and eventually we were in a relationship for a couple of months, having sex, partying and drinking. And he bought me a damn Birkin bag and can't tell me he loves me and that's not what I want. I want to be with you Jess. I have to be with you." Rory whispered the last part and waited for Jess's reaction.

"You have me. You always have." At that Rory smiled and was the first to initiate the kiss. She threw her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss, while he put his hand on her hips. Rory slowly pulled her lips away from his and looked deep into his eyes.

"I want you." She whispered. A smirk appeared on his face. They closed the space between them and immediately deepened the kiss. Jess removed his hands from her hips and slid them up her body to her shoulders, where he thrust off her jacket. The next thing they knew, Jess was lying on top of Rory, all clothes removed, and he was looking into her eyes, where finally, instead of seeing sadness and confusion, he saw happiness pushing through. This was his Rory. The Rory he had grown to love.

(A/N) This is not the end! Trust me on that. I am so sorry it took me so long to update. I really am. Did you see the episode this week? It was so funny when she was talking to the shrink and she started to cry. You could tell it was so fake. Anyways, it probably will be a while before I get the next chapter up, since I still haven't finished my other story and I really have to get a move on that. Well, tell me what you think please!


	4. Chapter 4

(A/N) I am sorry; so, so sorry. I didn't mean to abandon this story for so long. I mean, that was a pretty long four months for all of you. They were pretty fast for me because I sure did progress on From The Start. I'm about six or seven chapters from the end and that's about how many chapters I'd put out over this story's stint. Sorry, again. Thanks for the reviews.

Chapter Four

"So what happens from here?" Rory asked as she lay in Jess' arms the next morning. He considered this for a moment as he absently stroked her arm lightly with the tips of his fingers, sending shivers up Rory's spine.

"I'm not sure," he finally answered silently.

"Will this just be a one-night stand and we'll never see each other ever again?" she interrogated softly and worriedly, he adjusting her in his hold.

"First off, I don't think something that happens between us like this could ever be a one-night stand. Second, we'd eventually see each other because my uncle and your crazy mother will be getting married. Therefore, I, being the uncle's nephew, will have to go. And you, being the bride's daughter will also make an appearance."

"Not if I kill myself before the wedding so I won't have to avoid you after our disastrous one-night stand." Jess sighed and pulled her closer, kissing the crown of her head.

"I'm starting to get the feeling that you want this to be a one-night stand,"

"We need a new word for that," Rory said, changing the subject.

"Do you want this to be?" he asked.

"I don't think it has any synonyms," she ventured.

"Rory?" Jess asked impatiently.

"Maybe we should say—"

"—Never mind." And with that, he pushed Rory off him gently and leaned over the side of the bed to grab his boxers. He slipped them on under the covers, then got up and continued to dress.

"Jess—"

"—Hey, if you want this to be a one-night stand, fine. Go back to the monkey or find yourself another victim. I don't care." Jess pulled his shirt over his head and sat on the bed's edge as he pulled on his socks.

"Jess—"

"—I'm going to get some breakfast. Just leave before I get back, or whatever."

"Jess!" she called after him as he stood in front of the door, pulling on his jacket. "I told you I wanted to be with you last night," Rory whispered as he turned to look at her.

"Seriously?" She nodded and got out of the bed, wrapping the sheets around her as she walked over to him. "What about Logan?" he asked softly as she wrapped her arms around his neck, causing her blanket to fall to the floor.

"He'll be fixed," Rory answered after a beat and then began an assault on his lips. Obliging, Jess placed his hands on the small of her back and pushed her closer to him. Fumbling with his clothing, Rory fell back onto the bed, a high-pitched giggle escaping her lips, before he lowered himself onto her.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear after a quick kiss on the lips. He felt her cheeks rise in a smile underneath his as he nibbled on her earlobe.

"Same here," she said after a stolen moment's hesitation, but Jess overlooked that. She was making sure she did before she had to say it with an air of finality. That was enough for him.

…………………

"You hungry?" Jess asked as Rory stepped out of the bathroom in her attire from the night before.

"Yes I am." He smiled knowingly at her. "But, yes there is a but," she added at his questioning look, "I have to go to that function I told you about the other day." He nodded and walked over to her, kissing her profoundly. "I had fun," she whispered, pulling away. He smirked.

"Me too."

"I have to go," Rory whispered reluctantly.

"Don't go," he said, seductively kissing her cheek in the process.

"I don't want to."

"Then don't," he said muffled.

"This sounds familiar." She pulled away slowly and stepped away from him. Rory pouted and crossed her arms over her stomach. "I hate my grandmother."

"Same here."

"I better go. I'm already late enough as it is," she said after a short silence.

"What time does this thing start?" he asked curiously.

"At eleven."

"It's eight." She smiled and turned to walk towards the door.

"Rory?" She turned her head. "We have to talk." Rory nodded.

"I'll be back for lunch. That good?"

"Great."

"I'll call you later."

"You have my number?" Jess asked, puzzled.

"Yep."

"How?" Rory smiled, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"I have my ways…you can call me too. Bye." And with that, she was out the door.

……………………

"A fresh platter is all we need. Thanks," Rory told the waitress an hour and a half later. She looked over the room filled with socialite D.A.R. ladies. She was slightly proud of her work in a strange way.

"I need to go somewhere and have a little talk with you," her grandmother's voice said in her ear behind her.

"Later, Grandma. I'm need out her," she said in an irritated voice.

"Young lady, I insist that we go somewhere and talk right now," Emily battered.

"Grandma, I am sorry, I can't."

"There's a kitchen here, we'll go there."

"No, I am not going to the kitchen with you! We'll talk later." Emily turned to look at the balalaika players behind her.

"Must they play those damn guitars?"

"They're balalaikas!"

"They're too loud."

"They're Russian and they aren't mic'ed. That's their volume."

"I'm not liking this tone of yours."

"Well, you're forcing the tone, Grandma! I said I'll talk to you later, but right now, I'm not leaving this room." Rory turns and walks away from Emily, to the other side of the balalaika players, but is followed by Emily.

"Where were you last night? Why didn't you call?"

"You're overreacting."

"You're not wearing your dress," Emily noticed once they were facing each other.

"I didn't have time to go home."

"You almost missed the event," she accused.

"No, I was early for the event. What I missed was your inspection of me back at the house. That's what you're upset about."

"My inspections, missy, are for your own good. You're new to the D.A.R. You don't know the proper procedure for things. The proper dress!" Emily exclaimed, signaling at her clothes.

"I do okay!" Rory defended.

"This is not just about me, everyone was worried about you!"

"You mean everyone that you called when you took my private address book and tried to find me?"

"Yes, I did call people."

"Well, you shouldn't have!"

"A lot of good it did. You should update that ridiculous address book of yours; half the numbers were disconnected!"

"Oh, I'll do that," Rory said sarcastically.

"You have people in there you haven't spoken to for years! You should remove them!"

"Uh-huh."

"I'm throwing that book out," Emily said, furious at her sarcasm.

"Do not throw that book out!" Rory demanded.

"Do not use that tone with me!" Emily smirked manically.

"I want to be very clear—"

"—You are becoming more like your mother with every passing day."

"And you are becoming more like my mother's mother with every passing day!" Rory pointed out.

"That's it, that's it!" Emily pointed at her curtly.

"What's it?" Rory asked furiously and confusedly.

"You're grounded!"

"Grounded?"

"Yes!"

"I'm twenty one! You can't ground me!"

"And no more sleepovers at Paris' house!"

"Grandma, I go wherever I want, whenever I want. And I haven't been sleeping at Paris' house three nights a week! I've been at Logan's!" Rory yelled.

"When your father gets home, we're going to talk about the house rules and be the same page once and for all!" Rory stared at her, confused and surprised.

"You mean my grandfather?"

"You know what I meant!"

"Well, I'd have to be living at the house to have house rules!" She yelled.

"What does that mean?"

"Excuse me." Rory turned and walked back to the other side of the room.

…………………

Rory sat in her car at 1:00 that afternoon. Sighing, she put her hands on the wheel at ten and two then rested her forehead against the wheel. She knew that she had to break up with Logan. She just wasn't sure how. Her cell phone's ring tone brought Rory out of her reverie and she let out a deep breath, preparing herself for the worst.

"Hello?" she answered after locating her phone.

"Hey." Rory raised her forehead off the wheel and smiled.

"Hey yourself."

"So, how'd the thing go?" Jess asked, sitting on the bed in his room.

"Okay, except for the part where I blew up at my grandmother while people were watching. I also kicked myself out. So, what've you done?" Jess smirked.

"I went to Luke's. He asked me how everything went with you and I said that I was pretty sure I'd impregnated you."

"Jess!" Rory exclaimed, her cheeks turning a dark pink.

"Relax, I just said that I must have knocked some sense into you because you showed up at the Inn, begging for forgiveness. Then I said I'd impregnated you."

"That's not funny," Rory whined.

"Are you coming back to the Inn?"

"Yeah, but I'll be a little late. I have to take care of something first."

"Okay. I guess I'll see you later."

"Yeah, later. Bye."

"Bye." Rory threw her phone into the passenger seat and turned the key in the ignition.

…………………

"Ace?" Rory pushed past Logan into his apartment.

"Look, I'm not here to forgive you for what you did last night and I'm just going to get some of the stuff I left her the other night." Rory looked Logan over in a quick motion with her eyes t see he was still in his pajama pants and a t-shirt.

"Can you please not yell? I have a killer headache. Now, let's talk this out. Why are you so angry at me?" Logan put a hand on the small of her back and tried to lead her over to the couch, but she refused to move.

"You know what happened last night. I'm here to tell you that you and I are over. I'm done with you and your little parties and your little outbursts and your friends and drinking. I'm getting my clothes and I'm gone." She walked through the living room to his bedroom. Seeing her bag next to her side of the bed, she walked over to it and began to collect her clothes.

"Don't do this, Rory. I know you; if you go off with writer boy, you're going to end up getting hurt and you'll have nowhere to go. I, however, won't hurt you," Rory heard him whisper in her ear. His breath tickled the back of her neck. She began to feel butterflies in her stomach once again, only this time it wasn't for Jess. She didn't know what to do.

Rory loved Logan, she'd told him that a few weeks ago. Jess, however, had told her he loved her in her freshman year at Yale. He'd only now heard that she still loved him. But she also loved Logan. Logan, though, still hadn't told her he loves her.

Rory turned around sharply to find him standing a few inches away from her. "You hurt me last night, Logan. You _slapped_ me!"

"I didn't mean to, Rory! I was angry you were going out with book boy behind my back!"

"We were just going to have dinner and talk!" She yelled, still holding her bag.

"I didn't know that!"

"Yes, you did. I told you, pretty loudly too."

"I'm sorry Rory! Okay? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I need you to forgive me. I'm not going to hurt you again," he ended softly. Rory shut her eyes as she contemplated the situation. Opening them, she walked past him and dropped her bag next to the bedroom door. She walked into the study adjacent to his room and gathered all her books from his desk.

"Excuse me, Logan," Rory whispered when he appeared, blocking the doorway.

"No. I need to hear you say that you forgive me."

"Logan, please." He shook his head and stared daggers at her. Rory looked down at the pile of books in her arms as tears filled her eyes. What to do? What to say? "Just…just tell me that you love me," she whispered, looking up at him with tears streaming down her face.

His eyes softened and he walked towards her to wrap his arms around her small frame. Rory buried her head in the front of his shirt but still clutched her books. "I love you," she heard him whisper, hardly audible. Her shoulders shook with confusion. So, he did love her. He'd just never said it. Now she was stuck.

"Do you really?"

"Yeah, I do." Logan kissed the top of her hair and she pulled away. He reached forward and wiped the tears away from her face. Rory leaned into his hand and kissed her fingertips.

"I love you, too," she whispered.

…………………

And she found herself with his arms wrapped around her bare waist. They were facing each other and his hand was caressing her cheek. He leaned forward and kissed her tenderly.

Rory's bangs were sticking to her forehead with sweat and she found Logan running a hand over her forehead to wipe the sweat off. She found this sweet and cute.

She leaned forward and kissed him deeply. As the kiss slowed down and they pulled apart, she heard him whisper that he loved her. On autopilot, Rory said it back. As she stared at his face, she suddenly remembered Jess. As guilt took over her facial expression, she pulled away from Logan and sat up, wiping all the sweat away from her face.

"What's wrong, Ace?"

"I am so sorry, Logan," she cried and stood up, pulling on her underwear.

"What for?" he asked softly and rolled onto her side of the bed to pull her by the hand on top of him. She whimpered as his mouth latched onto her stomach and one of his fingers found its way under her panties. Rory pulled away again and began to throw on her clothes. "Rory?"

"I'm sorry. I'm just—I can't believe I did this _and_ that," she explained obscurely.

"I don't understand a word you're saying." Rory frantically looked around the room for anything she might've missed in her earlier scour. "Will you stop and explain to me what's going on?" His demand froze her and she found herself at a loss for words. "Ror?" She closed her eyes before turning to face him.

"I…I slept with Jess," she whimpered. Rory watched as his eyes took on an angry look and his face turn purple.

"You _what_!" he yelled. Tears blurred her vision, and she repeated her statement. "I can't believe this!" Logan ran a hand through his hair and stood to pull on his boxers. He walked over to Rory and stopped a foot away from her. "You slept with Jess?" She nodded. "I _knew_ it! I told you you'd cheat on me!"

"Logan," she whimpered, "I'm sorry."  
"No, you're not." Logan sighed and ran another hand through his blonde curls. "So this was just a game, huh? You wanted me to tell you I loved you so you could sleep with me then tell me you slept with your ex-boyfriend?"

"No, I—"

"Forget it. Just get out of here, Rory. Consider us over." Logan pushed past her and walked through the living room to the front door.

"Logan," she pleaded as she slung her bag onto her shoulder and followed him.

"What?' he asked furiously.

"I'm sorry." Rory's tears continued and his eyes turned soft.

"Just go be with the guy you want to be with, Ace. Go." Rory nodded and hugged him.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen," she whispered into his neck. Pulling away, she smiled sadly and was about to leave when he pulled her back and kissed her passionately.

"Go," he said softly, jerking his head in the general direction of the door, after he pulled away.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

(A/N) I told you it wasn't the end, yet. I'm sorry this took so long. I hope you like this and I will try my hardest to get the next chapter out soon. Please review. I hope this was long enough. Review! Review!


	5. Chapter 5

(A/N) Dudes, I think this is one of the fastest updates since I started the story. I was rereading it from the beginning and I found out what you guys were saying about Rory's thought being totally childish. I'd fix it but I feel it would disturb the story. Tell me if you think I should or if you think I should let it be. Just so you know, I didn't write as well as I do now then… Yeah, yeah, I'm full of myself but that should be good. If you were reading my other story (ies) you could figure it out in no time by the way the chapters get better as you read along. So if you haven't read them yet, do it. Tell me if you think I should rewrite the first chapter but still along the same lines.

Finally, I only have two chapters left for this story.

Sorry if I disappointed you with the last chapter.

Chapter Five

Rory jumped out of her car when she reached her destination. She had been crying since she'd left Logan's apartment and she sought comfort from the only person she'd always wallowed with.

Rory hadn't planned for her and her mother's reunion to be out of this kind of need. She wanted their reunion to be out of the 'I miss you and I'm so sorry' need.

Knocking loudly on the door, Rory let out a soft sob as she saw her mother and darted forward, letting her be enveloped in Lorelai's arms.

"Oh, sweetie," she cooed, shutting the door behind the two and leading Rory to the living room couch.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to be cold and unforgiving and mean," Rory cried, burying her head in her mother's shoulder. "I should've listened to you about how Logan was a jerk and that I deserved more than him. And then I stole a boat with him, practically lived with him, drank, ate and partied with him and all the while I did all that, I hurt you. And after two years, Jess comes back and shows me this book." Rory wipes away her eyes and sits up, her eyes taking on a sad but amazed look. "This book, _he_ wrote it, while I did nothing. I didn't learn, read, or write. I organized functions and was inducted into the god forsaken D.A.R. and was then bombarded by the triple-team work of the grandparents and a reverend about not having sex. And all I could come back with was, 'Have you seen the 40-Year Old Virgin?' and I can't believe my life has stooped so low as to use a horrible movie as a reference—"

"—Rory, breathe," Lorelai interrupted, amused. "I see you haven't forgotten one of the most important Gilmore women trademark. Now, what is it about Jess?" Rory stared at her mother blankly then her eyes widened.

"Oh my God! Jess! I had a date to have lunch with him! But then that was sidetracked with my attempt to end my relationship with Logan by jumping into bed with him because he said he loved me! I'm vulnerable, Mom! If anyone can tell me he loves me, I'd have sex with him. It happened with Dean and now with Logan!" Rory ran a hand through her hair. "I don't even know if I cheated on Logan with Jess or on Jess with Logan. Curse the web I weave!" she added overdramatically.

"Honey, calm down. Now, what is this about Jess and cheating on him? Are you two dating? What happened?" Rory sniffled and tucked her legs underneath her.

"This is going to be a long story."

…………………

"So, let me get this straight," Lorelai said as she came back into the living room with a new bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos. "You and Jess are together and Logan's vamoosh?" Rory nodded, avidly snatching the Cheetos from her mother. "And you sort of stood him up, you know." Rory nodded guiltily.

"I should find him," she said softly.

"Yeah."

"But after you let me steal this bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos. I can't believe I've never tasted these in the amount of years it's been around," Rory said, her mouth stuffed.

"Feel free." Lorelai smiled and pulled her daughter into a hug once she stood up. "I'm glad you're home, kid," she said happily.

"Me too… Can we go to Luke's first? I need a massive amount of coffee." Lorelai pulled back and held her daughter at arm's length.

"Sweets, I think you're trying to avoid the Jess sitch." Rory frowned.

"You think?"

"Yeah," Lorelai said while nodding. Rory sighed.

"That's Jess' forte. I'm not evasive. I've changed too much," she whispered.

"You never got over Jess, did you?" She shrugged and inhaled deeply.

"Guess not. I think I made myself believe I did so I wouldn't have to think about him and hurt all the time, you know? I mean, I really had loved him," she whispered. "He just…made it hard." Lorelai nodded and wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders.

"Let us go to Luke's."

……………………

Rory stood outside the diner, arms wrapped around her body as she shielded herself from the cold, waiting for her mother to finish alluding to Luke. She stared across the street at the gazebo where she saw Miss Patty and Babette conversing quietly. Her eyes widened in fear of being discovered prematurely and she turned around, her back to the road.

However, it wasn't long before she heard the quiet chatter get closer. Her cover was blown. Sighing, she turned around only to be pulled into a hug by both town gossips.

"Oh, Rory!" Babette gushed. "We all missed you!"

"I'm guessing you and Lorelai have gone over that rift?" Miss Patty inquired, pulling away along with Babette. Rory nodded, smiling.

"Look at you! You hair grew out! And you have bangs! You look adorable," Babette noticed.

"And she has way more ass to look at now," Miss Patty said under her breath to Babette. Rory rolled her eyes.

………………………

"Luke!" Lorelai called as she entered the diner.

"What?" he asked, coming over to her, a coffee pot in hand

"I have very, extremely colossal news!" she exclaimed ecstatically.

"Okay," Luke said, walking away from Lorelai and over to Kirk.

"Aren't you excited?"

"If you'd hurry up and tell me, I might be. You never know," he informed as he refilled Kirk's coffee.

"Well, I need a drum." Luke sighed and turned to face his fiancé.

"For what?"

"For a drum roll. Duh."

"I have no drums," he stated, walking over to a tourist table.

"Kirk, drum roll, please." Kirk smiled and grabbed his utensils, banging them against his table.

"And…" Lorelai turned around and opened the door, sticking her head out. She sighed. "Sorry ladies. I need my daughter."

"Oh, all right. We'll see you around, Rory," Miss Patty informed as Rory turned around, rosy cheeked. Lorelai smiled and grabbed her hand, pulling her into the diner.

"Rory!" Kirk exclaimed. Luke turned around smiling and walked over to the Gilmore Girls.

"You're here. The both of you. Together."

"Full sentences, honey," Lorelai joked.

"This is great!" he cried out. "Coffee is on the house!" Rory smiled as Luke pulled her into a one-armed hug.

"Hi Luke!" she said happily as she and Lorelai sat at a nearby table.

"You can have anything you want, on me." Rory giggled.

"Luke, we never pay."

"Coffee. Coming right up."

"He seems a little dodgy," Rory whispered when he walked away to turn the coffee maker on.

"He does?" Rory nodded.

"Oh well. We get coffee without begging." Lorelai smiled mischievously.

"Ah, I've missed you, oh, daughter of mine."

"Same here, mother of mine."

………………………

"Oh my God!" Rory cried after eating a cheeseburger and chili cheese fries along with three cups of coffee.

"What?" Lorelai asked through a mouthful of liquid caffeine.

"Why do I keep forgetting this? He's supposed to be important, am I wrong?"

"If you'd tell momma what and whom you're talking about, I could tell you."

"Mom, I can't keep forgetting about Jess! Why didn't you tell me? I could've used this wasted hour—"

"—This wasn't a wasted hour."

"—to find Jess! Why am I so forgetful?" Rory continued, ignoring her mother. She banged her head against the table. "I'm a horrible person! I shouldn't deserve to live! I already blew him off once! And that was five hours or so ago! I said I'd go find him and then we came here because I asked because I wanted to avoid the confrontation! Now there will be a worse confrontation! I am such an idiot!"

"Honey, you have to breathe. Your voice was getting high-pitched from lack of air." Rory closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. "Okay. There are two things you are not in this world. Actually four. Maybe five, but that's okay. One, you aren't a horrible person. Two, you aren't an idiot. Three, you aren't a horrible coffee addict. Four, you aren't a horrible ranter. And five, you aren't a horrible writer."

"But—"

"—Who cares what Mitchum Huntzberger thinks? Not I. So, just go find Jess and you both will be okay." Rory nodded, now smiling at her mother's antics.

"Right. I'll see you at home then."

"Okay." Rory stood and walked over to her mother, leaving a kiss on her cheek, before leaving the diner.

…………………

"Jess?" Rory called as she frantically knocked on the door to room number ten. When she got no answer after another minute and a half of calling and knocking, she sighed angrily and pulled her phone out of her pocket. Checking the time, she saw it was seven twenty-five. She groaned quietly and tapped her foot nervously against the floor.

Dialing, her hand shook anxiously and she pressed her phone to her ear.

"Hey, you've reached Jess Mariano. Leave a message if you want me to get back to you. If not, don't."

Rory sighed but waited until she heard the beep to speak.

"Hey. It's Rory. Um, look. I know I blew you off but you need to let me explain. I didn't mean for this to happen if it's any consolation. But, it obviously isn't. I'm at the Inn now and, apparently, you are out. So I guess I'll just keep looking for you… Unless you want to relieve me of using so much gasoline. You know, high gas prices and all. Just, um, call me back. Please."

………………

"Hey Luke," Rory sighed as she sat the counter an hour and twenty-five minutes later.

"Hey. Coffee?" Luke asked, turning to face her.

"Please. I'm exhausted." He pulled a cup out from under the counter and turned to pour her coffee.

"Why?"

"Well," she started as he set the mug in front of her and she took a sip. "I have looked all over Stars Hollow. The bookstore, music shop, record store, Al's Weston's, Doose's, Bootsy's newsstand, I even went so far as to go to the corner outside town where I know they sell drugs to find him, but still have no luck."

"Wow," Luke sighed, eyeing Rory amusedly.

"What?"

"You just spent fifteen seconds talking vaguely about some person and how you can't find him. You're looking for someone in Stars Hollow?"

"Luke, what guy would I look for in Stars Hollow at nine o' clock?" Rory hinted.

"Dean?" Rory glared and shook her head. "Kirk?"

"Are you kidding me?" she asked incredulously. "Luke, c'mon. Think!" His eyes widened.

"Do not tell me you're looking for T.J. There is no way I can deal with his carpentry skills again." She groaned and let out a sigh.

"Jess, Luke. I'm looking for your nephew, Jess Mariano." Luke nodded.

"I should've known." Rory rolled her eyes.

"Have you seen him, by any chance?" Luke shook his head.

"I haven't seen him since he came in here for breakfast and helped me out for three hours."

"Did he tell you where he was going?" Luke looked up to the ceiling in contemplation.

"He said he was going to read. That's all." Rory's eyes widened and she banged her forehead with the heel of her hand.

"Of course! I'm such an idiot!" She stood and grabbed the purse she'd set on the empty stool beside her. "Thanks for the coffee, Luke!" she called as she fled the diner.

……………………

"There you are," Rory said as she walked onto the bridge five minutes later. Jess sat staring at the water, his legs dangling over the edge of the bridge. Three books lay next to him in a pile. "I've been looking all over for you. Who can believe six months out of Yale and two years of not seeing you can make me forget your favorite place in Stars Hollow?" He didn't acknowledge her as she sat two inches away from him. "I'm guessing your didn't get my desperate messages, huh?" Still no answer. She sighed and wrapped her arms around herself as a wind blew, tousling her hair.

"Jess, I'm really sorry. I need you to know the delay was a spur of the moment thing. It was unplanned and spontaneous and so unlike me. But of course, according to some people, I stopped being myself a long time ago," she added quietly.

His silence was deafening and frustrating. It was uncalled for but definitely justified. However, her acquiescence to his sound state was surprising. She felt he should ignore her, especially after she'd stood him up and cheated on him. She hadn't meant for it to happen but one thing led to the other and…

No. She wasn't going to use that as an excuse. It was a clichéd phrase.

Rory wasn't going to press him. For now.

"Look, if you'd let me explain we could figure this out," she said after ten silent minutes.

"I haven't stopped you," Jess muttered, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger.

"You haven't. But you didn't say anything to me either."

"It's called ignoring until you decided to 'fess up."

"Can we go to the Inn?" Jess sighed but remained in his spot, hushed. "I'll take that as a no." She let out a breath and closed her eyes. "I… I slept with Logan when I broke up with him," she whispered, tears coming to her eyes.

"Of course. Who doesn't have sex after breaking up with his or her boyfriend of girlfriend?" he interrogated sarcastically.

"Jess—"

"—Sure, it's usually a one-night stand with a complete stranger but in this case it was with your ex-boyfriend you'd recently dumped. A little too recently for my taste. I get it, Rory. You don't want to be with me. Just go away and leave me alone." Rory sniffled and turned her body to sit Indian-style, facing him.

"Jess, it wasn't supposed to happen. It just did. Logan and I are over. And I do want to be with you. I'm really very sorry," she cried. "It's not like it's going to happen again." Jess nodded imperceptibly and turned his head to face her. His face was expressionless, void of emotion.

"Why'd you sleep with him?" The question caught Rory off guard and she dug in her head for an answer.

"Because he… he said he loved me," she murmured. Jess nodded, his lips pressing into a thin line as her eyes began to shed their tears in anticipation of what was to come.

"Great. So you'll sleep with anyone who tells you they love you? Nice." Jess rolled his eyes and turned back to the lake.

"No, Jess. It's not like that. Don't take it the wrong way," she pleaded tearfully.

"How am I supposed to take it?" he snapped. Rory took in a sharp breath and felt as if she'd been slapped.

"I don't… I'm not sure," she mumbled, unfolding her legs and throwing them over the edge once again.

"Did it mean anything to you?" Jess whispered after a moment's silence.

"It would've. A while ago, anyway. Not so much anymore," Rory replied softly.

"But it still meant something." He sighed heavily and dragged a hand through his hair.

"No, it didn't. It meant nothing to me. You, however, do. I can't afford to lose you now, Jess. Not when I'm finally beginning to get my life back together."

"You made up with your mom?" he asked gently. She nodded. "How is this going to work? You're practically two hundred miles away." Rory smiled to herself.

"I know. But I was thinking."

"Which is never a good sign." He smirked as she smacked his arm, glaring, and they faced each other, both folding their legs underneath them.

"Anyway, I was thinking I could, maybe, stay with you until Christmas. You know, work out the kinks in our relationship while in Philadelphia then come back here 'til New Year's." Jess sighed.

"What about school?" Rory bit her lip.

"Well, if we work out, I can transfer. Apply to the University of Pennsylvania."

"Rory, no," he said quickly, shaking his head, his face serious.

"Why not?" she whined.

"I don't want you to give up Yale to be with me."

"But—"

"—This is Yale and the University of Pennsylvania we're talking about. Yale is better. We can make this work another way." Rory sighed and her shoulders slumped.

"What if I want this? What if I want to dump Yale for you?" Jess sighed and pulled Rory to him, settling her in his lap as he turned to dangle his legs over the water.

"I don't want you to resent me," he whispered in his ear, sending shivers down her spine. He placed his lips on her neck and kissed her sweetly. Rory smiled and took his arms from around her waist and placed hers on top of his.

"I wouldn't resent you. Ever. I never have," she said just as quietly. He smiled and kissed her neck again. Rory smiled and let out a content sigh.

"That's good to know."

……………………

"So, it's okay with you that I stay with you until Christmas?" Rory asked as she pulled up to the Dragonfly two hours later.

"Yeah. But I don't want to exactly come here for Christmas and New Year's."

"You'll be okay." Jess rolled his eyes and leaned over to kiss her lightly.

"You want me to come over to your house tomorrow and help you move out of your grandparents'?" Rory nodded vigorously.

"Yes, please. And bring your car."

"What time?"

"Early. But after ten thirty because Grandma will still be there." He nodded.

"We'll talk about the college thing later," he warned. She pouted.

"Fine. Leave your phone on. I'm going to call to fill you in on what Mom said about this."

"Okay." He leaned over again and captured her lips for a longer kiss. Rory moaned as he nipped at her bottom lip and she pushed him away.

"Expect me to call around one." He sighed and gathered his books from the floor.

"What is it with you and late hours?" She shrugged and smiled as he got out of the car.

"I'll call you later."

"I have books and manuscripts. I'll be awake."

"Ah, behold the ever busy man. When will he have time for the small people?"

"At one in the morning. See you tomorrow." Rory smiled as he closed the door and she drove away.

……………………

"Rory, is that you?" Lorelai called from the living room when she heard a few things plop onto the floor.

"Yeah! Can you help me?" Rory answered as she picked two bags off the floor.

"With what?"

"Mom!"

"Okay, I'm coming!" Lorelai appeared in the foyer a few seconds later and groaned. "There is no way I'm helping you."

"I love your pajamas. They're cute with all those little Rugrats' heads," Rory complimented.

"Ugh! Fine! But only because you like my Rugrats."

Twenty minutes later, Lorelai and Rory sat on the couch, both in pajamas. Cartons of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, chips, movie cases, Red Vines, and boxes of Cheez-Its adorned the coffee table.

"So…" Rory started, tucking her legs under her body and turning to face her mother's side with her back against one of the couch's arms.

"So?" Lorelai asked, doing the same on the opposite side of the couch.

"I talked to Jess."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, and, um, I've decided I'm going to stay with him, in Philly, until Christmas." Lorelai nodded and bit her bottom lip.

"So I guess that means you and Jess are officially together, huh?" Rory nodded.

"Is that okay with you?" Lorelai shrugged.

"Ah, well, no. But better him than Logan or a married man." Rory sighed.

"Mom, Jess has really changed. He's not the same seventeen-year old who drew chalk outlines in front of Doose's. He's the guy who wrote a book. He's the guy who got his life back together when no one was there to help him. Not even me. Although I could've been," she added softly. Lorelai raised her eyebrows.

"What do you mean you could've been?" Rory turned her head and looked at the lighted fireplace. She took in a deep breath.

"That night Grandma set me up with some guy she'd known as a baby, remember that?" Lorelai nodded. "Well, it'd turned out as a disaster and I called Dean to pick me up. Well, he brought me to Yale and Jess showed up. I told Dean to go so I could speak to Jess and he comes up with this insane offer. He asked me to come with him. Where? He didn't know he just refused for us to start over in Connecticut, let alone Stars Hollow. He'd said he'd known we were meant to be together since the day he saw me in my room two years before. He gave me an ultimatum and I refused and I hadn't seen him since."

"And you never told me?" Rory shook her head and turned to face her mother. "Okay, continue."

"So, I'll stay with Jess until Christmas Eve then we'll come here and he'll stay 'til New Year's," Rory informed.

"He's leaving after New Year's?"

"That's the plan for now." Lorelai nodded and smiled.

"So I guess that gives us a few weeks to go to Atlantic City for you twenty-first birthday celebration?" she squealed.

"Guess so," Rory said, feeling elated.

"I don't think Jess would approve of you getting numbers from twenty-one guys." Rory shook her head, chewing the inside of her cheek.

"He doesn't have to know." Lorelai gasped.

"Rory!"

"I'm kidding." Lorelai let out a sigh of relief.

"Good… What about school?" Rory bit her lip and un-tucked and re-tucked her legs. "You're fidgeting. You never fidget. Why are you fidgeting?" the elder Gilmore pressed.

"Um, well… I might transfer schools. To Philadelphia," Rory whispered. Lorelai's eyes widened and she looked surprised.

"Oh…Wow." She un-tucked her legs and sat with her body facing the coffee table, feet planted firmly on the floor.

"It's not…certain, yet. Jess told me to think about it and to not take any rash decisions without consulting you or him."

"Well, he sure has turned very considerate."

"Mom, don't be mad. I haven't decided yet." Lorelai sighed again.

"Okay. We can talk about this later, then." Rory nodded and pointed at one of the movies on the coffee table.

"Pop in Orange County." Lorelai smiled.

"Gladly. Jack Black in underwear, here we come!" Rory made a disgusted face and laughed.

"Ew, Mom." They lay back into the couch, a pint of ice cream in hand.

"I guess you and Jess really were meant to be." Rory frowned at her mother's displeasure.

"Yeah, I guess," she whispered, popping a spoon of ice cream into her mouth. "I really love him, Mom." Lorelai nodded and patted her daughter's knee affectionately.

"I know you do, Sweets. I know you do."

………………………

(A/N) That was long. For this story anyway. Should be the longest chapter yet. How'd you like? And remember to tell me if you'd like for me to rewrite the first chapter.

REVIEW!

Sorry for any mistakes.


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